Mechanical propulsion toy-vehicle



Feb. 8, 1938. 1.. VIMEUX MECHANICAL PROPULSION TOY VEHICLE Fild March 29, 1935 I Patented Feb. s, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 2,107,722 I MECHANICAL PROPULSION TOY -VEHIOLE Lon Vimeux, St.-Ouen, France Application March 29, 1935, Serial No. 13,749 In France June 12, 1934 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a mechanically propelled toy vehicle or boat and has for its object to provide improved driving mechanism therefor. This object is attained by providing 5 mechanism comprising two bent levers, the upper parts of which, horizontal or substantially so, are pivoted about the axes of their vertical branches of which, said branches being located close tofthe longitudinalplane of symmetry of 101 the vehicle, the outwardly directed ends of the 'I- "levers' being operated from-the front toward the rear, and wherein the several parts are con structedand arranged that reciprocating movements made in the horizontal plane by the upper portions of the bent leversare transformed into rotary movements in 'a vertical plane,

Ina preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention, the charac- H teristic features above stated are applied to the 2 drive of a toy vehicle consisting of a frame resting at the rear, with orwithout the interposition of springs or the like, on an axle, and at the front, through a swan-neck construction on a single. directing wheel mounted in a sleeve carried by said swan-neck construction. The top of the frame supports a seat, preferably adjustable in the longitudinal direction so as tov permit of adapting the vehicle to the size of the child for whom it is intended. The driving mechanism consists of two bent levers the horizontal portion of each of which is adapted to pivot about the axis of the corresponding vertical branch thereof and the outwardly directed ends of which are operatedsuccessively frontwards'and backwards.

Thismovement at the lower end of the vertical branch imparts a similar alternating angular movement to another horizontal branch, the

movement of which is itself transmitted to the rear wheels through a double mechanical con- 40 nection. First the reciprocating horizontal displacement of the lower horizontal branch of the lever is transformed into a rotary movement, taking place in a verticalplane, through a connecting. rod provided at either end with a swivel joint, 9. universal joint, or the'equivalent, one of said ends being connected to the lower horizontal lever branch while the other one is connected to a crank arm rigid with a transmission shaft on which is keyed a sprocket wheel. A second sprocket Wheel is disposed, in line with the first one, on the rear axle, which carries two wheels, one of which is keyed to said axle, while the other one is free to turn about said axle. Owing to this arrangement, the horizontal alternating movements of the lever first produce a rotation of the sprocket wheel of the transmission shaft, this rotation being then transmitted with a suitable gear ratio, to the rear-axle which, by driving the rear driving wheel, causes the vehicle to move forward.

a The above described mechanism may, if desired, be used in connection with endless track vehicles or with boats, the drive of the rear wheels being replaced by the drive of the endless track device or by driving means for a propeller turning in a 10 plane at right angles to the path of travel of the boat. v

One preferred-embodiment of my present invention will be hereinafter described, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: 15

Figure 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing a wheel vehicle according to the invention; r

s Figure 2 is a corresponding plan view.

As shown by the drawings, the vehicle shown 20 in Figures 1 and 2 consists of a frame I, preferably obtained by the assembling of stamped elements by brazing, soldering, welding or the like, so as to form a hollow beam of great strength. Near the rear end, the lower part 2 of the beam 25 carries bearings 3, 3, preferably ball bearings, in which is journalled axle 4. At the front, the frame includes a swan-neck construction formed by the members 5, .5 the front ends of which are fixed, by brazing soldering or otherwise, to a 30 sleeve 6 in which is mounted, with the interposition of-thrust ball bearings, a fork 1 of the same type as a bicycle fork which rests on the axle 8 of a wheel 9. The rear axle 4 is provided at either end with wheels III, II, respectively. 35 On the top of the frame is fixed a seat l2 secured by means of bolts I3, I 3' passing through orifices l4, l4 provided in the frame I.

If desired two or more seats may be provided. Preferably, these orifices are of elongated shape 40 so as to permit of adjusting the position of the seat in accordance with the size of the person that is using the vehicle.

The propelling mechanism proper is made in the following manner: 45 The front part of the frame carries, through suitable thrust bearings l5, l5, vertical shafts i6 bent at their lower ends at I1 and provided at their upper ends with portions I 8 of square cross section. On these portions l8 are engaged 5 sockets IQ of corresponding square cross section provided at the lower ends of the vertical branches of bent levers 20, the horizontal branches 2| of which constitute'the parts to be directly actuated. The operating levers 20 may movement imparted to each lever 2| is obtained through a connecting rod 22 assembled by a swivel joint 23 with branch l! of the corresponding lever l6 and connected, at the other end, through a swivel joint 24, with a crank arm 25 keyed on a transmission shaft 26 which is carried by bearings 21, 21 mounted on the lower part of the frame. A sprocket wheel 28 keyed on shaft 26 is connected to a sprocket wheel 29 keyed on axle 4 through a roller chain 30.

The mechanism above described operates in the following manner: a

The person that is to use the vehicle being seated on seat l2 and having his feet on foot-rests 3!, which are provided on either side of fork I, for the purpose of steering the vehicle, propels the vehicle by moving levers 2| angularly, as shown by Figure 2. The corresponding movement of the small levers I'i' is transformed, owing to the presence of the respective conecting rods 22, into circumferential' movements of crank arms 25and therefore into acircular movement of the sprocket Wheels and of wheel l keyed on axle d. ,The'

other wheel, II, which is free to rotate on axle t permits of the vehicle negotiating curves without the necessity of a differential gear. It is tov be noted that in view of the position of shafts lfi close to thelongitudinal plane of symmetry'of the vehicle, the movement of levers 20,, 2| is such that the person seated on the vehicle has his arms working in the extended position when pulling the levers from the fronttoward the rear. 7

a What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A toy vehicle which comprises, in combination, a frame, an axle at the rear part of said frame, wheels mounted on said axle, at least one wheel mounted for supporting the front part of said frame, two levers pivoted to said frame about substantially vertical axes located close to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the vehicle and on opposite sides of said plane, the upper ends of said levers bing bent outwardly in substantially horizontal directions, a shaft journalled in said frame in parallel relation with said axle, the lower ends of said levers being bent in substantially horizontal directions, a crank at either end of said shaft rigid therewith, a connecting rod be-, tween the end of each of said cranks and the lower bent end ofeach of said levers, respectively, swivelled at both ends to said parts, respectively, and each being wholly on one side of said plane of symmetry, a sprocket wheel keyed on said shaft, a sprocket wheel keyed on said axle, and a chain passing about both of said sprocket wheels, at least one of the two first mentioned wheels, which are mounted on said axle, being keyed on-said axle.

2. A toy vehicle which comprises, in combination, a frame, an axle'at the rear part of said frame, wheels mounted on said axle, at least one wheel'mounted for supporting the front part of said;frame,.two leverspivoted to said frame about substantially vertical axes located close to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the vehicle and on opposite sides of said plane, the upper ends of said levers being bent outwardly in substantially horizontal directions, a shaft journalled in said frame in parallelrelation with said axle,.

the lo wer ends of said levers being bent in substantially horizontal directions, 'a crank at either a I end of said=shaft rigid therewith, a connecting rod between the end of each of said cranks and the lower bent end of each of said levers, respectively, swivelled at bothends to said parts, respectivelmand each beingwholly on one side of said plane of symmetry, a sprocket wheel keyed on said, shaft, a sp'rocket wheelmounted on said axle rigidly connected with oneof the supporting wheels mounted on said axle, and a chain passing around both of said sprocket wheels.

Leon VIMEUX. 

